Daniel said he was one of many trainees who joined the Newport site expecting on-the-job training and a safe job in the industry.

"I was excited to enroll," Daniel said. "I know my family have had good careers here for 30 or 40 years.

"I thought I was coming here for the same reason but apparently not. It’s hard to believe they care when we found out in the media."

Tata currently own Cogent Power Inc, which includes Cogent Power in Burlington, Canada, as well as Surahammars Bruks AB, in Surahammar, Sweden.

Tata said it will retaining Surahammars Bruks AB, which makes advanced steels for electric vehicles and employs around 100 people, but the Canadian business will sold to the Japanese steel giant JFE Shoji Trade Corporation.

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Crane operator Danny Clarke made his way home from the Orb after a busy shift on Monday afternoon.

"I'm just gutted," the 28-year-old said. "I have to go home and explain it to the wife. I’ve got two young kids and a mortgage.

"We just came into work yesterday (Sunday) and there was a big gathering of lads. Then we came in today (Monday) and that was it.

"If anyone left immediately off their own back they wouldn’t be paid."

Brett Williams is the branch secretary of the steelworkers’ trade union Community and has been working at the Orb for 21 years.

"It’s come as a kick in the face for this workforce," he said. "We believe that if we had the right investment we could have been competitive. The stuff we have now is so antiquated we haven’t been given the chance.

"From being in the union I have had some indication for the last couple of days and weeks but for it to happen – I feel physically sick.

"That transporter bridge was built for us. The history of these works – it is gone now. Once you take it away it never comes back."

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Henrik Adam, CEO of Tata Steel’s European operations, said: “We have been able to secure the future for almost 400 colleagues in CPI and Surahammars Bruks.

"However today’s proposal will be sad news for colleagues at Orb in south Wales. This is necessary, enabling us to focus our resources, including investment, on our core business and markets, helping us build a long-term sustainable future in Europe."

Mr Adam added that continuing to fund losses at the plant was not sustainable and the company "saw no prospects of returning the Orb business to profitability in the coming years".

Union bosses reacted angrily to the news.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, said: "This is shocking news which makes a mockery of the understanding we reached with Tata around the jobs guarantee.

"There has been no consultation about this proposal either at UK or European level and company management should hang their heads in shame in the way this has come about."